With all the focus on fireworks, mattress sales and hot dog consumption on July 4th, it's easy to forget that today's holiday in the U.S. is also called Independence Day. 

Independence is what most of us desire when we leave the seemingly safe but claustrophobic confines of a corporate job and "go out on our own."  

"Woo hoo we get to do our own thing!" we exclaim, possibly in our pajamas, scrolling through really cute business card templates on Moo. 

Until the thud of "Oh man, we have to everything" starts to drag us down. One of the chief culprits I see among my peeps: Content Stress. 

So on this Fourth of July, let's remember all the ways we can declare our independence from Content Stress: 

Make A Plan...And Learn How to Make A Great Plan Next Week
If you only have a handful of hours to focus on writing (because you're also, you know, running a business), a content calendar makes that time meaningful. It tells you "here's what you're writing about and it publishes/posts/sends on this date, so get going." (Figuratively. Currently, my content calendar does not speak to me. Maybe next year.) Read the post. 

Build A Process
How you set yourself up to work on content can make a big difference in how effective and efficient that time is. (A solid communication plan and crystal clear messaging help, too, but that’s another post.) Read the post.

Deal With Roger Ebert
“Roger Ebert” is what I call my inner critic, named for the late, prolific movie critic. It’s that voice in your head dedicated to convincing you that everything you are writing is a steaming pile of sh*t. Your inner critic will tell you plainly that you’re about to embarrass yourself or that you can’t say that. It’s a shifty, narrow-minded, unhappy entity that entices you to backspace, delete and max out your credit cards at Nordstrom. Read the post.

Write Authentically
You can’t possibly contort your message and words to be all things to all people. All you can do is use your right words for your authentic message. It will resonate with the right people. Read the post.

Stop Claiming You're "Not A Writer"
I hate to break it to you, but when you string words together into messaging that supports and propels your business, you are writing. When you string words together into content that teaches or enlightens or sells, you are writing. And that makes you a writer. Read the post.

Acknowledge Your Accomplishments
When you give yourself credit for sitting down and sticking with it until the thing was written (or sitting down a couple of times until the thing was written, either counts!) you are reinforcing habits and giving yourself a sense of closure and accomplishment. Those are rare commodities when we work for ourselves. Don’t skip an opportunity to experience them. Read the post and the bonus reference to fireworks.

Take Comfort in Haikus
If all else fails to ease your Content Stress...read the post. 

Immerse Yourself in Content That's Completely Different
Finally, if you haven't read the Declaration of Independence in a while (or ever), here you go.